Sports stars go to social media for Batkid

Saturday

Nov 16, 2013 at 12:56 AMNov 16, 2013 at 3:56 AM

SAN FRANCISCO — The sports world went batty for the Batkid.

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — The sports world went batty for the Batkid.

San Francisco 49ers stars Anquan Boldin, Joe Staley, Anthony Davis — and even coach Jim Harbaugh — all gave shoutouts to 5-year-old Miles Scott, who took over as his favorite superhero Friday and received a police escort as he scurried around San Francisco to save Gotham through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The San Francisco Giants and Oakland Raiders also cheered him, along with Stanford's baseball team among many others.

"SFBatKid is my hero!!! Saving the city today!" Staley, the veteran left tackle, posted on his Twitter account.

"Props to all the residents of Gotham City aka SF that showed up to cheer him on!" Giants pitcher George Kontos said.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Brett Anderson was thrilled to watch Scott's story unfold over Twitter, where Anderson is a regular.

"SFBatKid is awesome ... it's a pretty crazy thing when all of twitter unanimously agrees on something," Anderson said.

Even every rival team of the Giants in the NL West — the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres — got into the fun and posted their support for the boy, who has battled leukemia for years but is in remission after undergoing treatment.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox gave Scott a shoutout, too.

"Way to go!" offered the Padres upon hearing the Batkid had rescued beloved Giants' mascot Lou Seal from the Penguin at AT&T Park.

Offered the 2013 division champion Dodgers: "Safe to say (hashtag)SFBatKid had one of the greatest days of ALL-TIME. Bravo, San Francisco," the club posted on Twitter while also applauding the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Giants.

The Giants formally thanked Scott "for everything you did today. You are a true hero to all of us."

For many, seeing everybody in the Bay Area community come together to make this day a reality for Scott meant so much.

"That's what I love about being out here, the spirit and the sports in the Bay Area," said Hall of Fame Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer. "We have a lot of very compassionate and caring people. I think that's great."

And Davis, the 49ers' right tackle, showed his appreciation for everyone involved — namely thousands of volunteers — in making Scott's day so special.

"The people that made this day happen for (hashtag)SFBatKid are ... awesome," Davis wrote. "That little guy is a big dreamer. I love it."

With the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals still on the remaining schedule along with the Atlanta Falcons for San Francisco, Boldin played off that.

"This time of year the most dangerous birds to come through SF are Seahawks, Cardinals & Falcons. Today it's a Penguin. Go get him (hastag)SFBatKid," Boldin wrote on Twitter.

Harbaugh, with three young children of his own, praised Scott's efforts before the 49ers took off to fly to New Orleans, where they will face the Saints on Sunday.

"It's wonderful, wonderful. Great for that youngster and great for the city of San Francisco and the whole region," Harbaugh said. "Saving lives for the day. I love it. That's so good. Good deed in a weary world."